Rail-bond.



No. 699,6?3; Patented May 6, I902.

A. H. ENGLUND. RAIL onn. (Application filed Mar. s, 190 2.

(No Model.)

FIGJ.

FIG-.2.

WlTNESSESv INVENTOR:

$ 1. Mm! %m W7 NTTn STATES PATENT OFFICE;

AXEL II. ENGLUND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROTECTED RAIL BOND COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,618, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed March 3, 1902. Serial No. 96.866. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AXEL H. ENGLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds, of

which the following is a specification.

In the existing practice of applying bonds to the meeting ends of rails, it has been found very advantageous to locate them within the spaces between theopposing faces of the webs of the.rai1 ends and the inner faces of the respective splice bars, particularly where said bars are provided as to their inner faces each I 5 with a longitudinally extending recess or groove, adapted to receive the body of a bond.

In the splicing of the rails, the securing bolts which extend through the splice bars and rail webs are frequently so located with respect to the same that in passing through said bond spaces they do not coincide with the center, vertically considered, of said spaces, with the result that the distance from the plane of the lower side faces of the bolts to the bottom of a recess is not the same as the distance from the plane of the upper side faces of the bolts to the top of such recess.

Rail bonds have heretofore been constructed in what may be termed divisional form, that is to say, consisting each of a pair of heads adapted for engagement in openings in the respective rail ends, and connecting bodies composed of two distinct masses of metal, be tween which an open space or open spaces is or 3 5 are present.

Where such rail bonds have been of sufficient length, the bolts of the splice bars have extended through such open space or spaces, with the result that half of the mass of the 40 body of the bond has existed in the divisional bond space between the upper sides of the bolts and the top of the recess, and the other half has existed in the divisional bond space between the lower sides of the bolts and .the

bottom of the recess.

It has been, however, the fixed practice to construct rail bonds of such divisional type with their respective divisions of equal diainetric proportions.

In the selection of such bonds for use in connection with rail ends united by bolts which separate the bond spaces into unequal divisions, vertically considered, the dimensions of the smaller of said divisional spaces has, therefore, been the determining element in fixing the diametric proportions of the bond, that is to say, it has been necessary to select a bond the diametric proportions of one division of which could be received within the smaller of said divisional spaces, regardless of the superior area or containing capacity of the other divisional space.

In the application of such bond to the rails, one of its divisions has occupied and nearly filled said smaller divisional space while the other has existed in the larger divisional space, but left a considerable portion of it unoccupied. 7

It is desirable in the bonding of rails that the conductivity of the connecting bond shall be as great as possible, and also desirable to avoid disarranging the general form and character of therails, splice bars,and bolts, employed, and one factor in producing the conductivity is, of course, the diametric mass of the bodies of the bonds, such conductivity being, other conditions being the same, propertional to such diametric mass.

It is the object of my invention to provide, in connection with rails, rail joints, and splice bars, of standard character and arrangement, the available bond spaces presented or afforded by which are unequally divided,-rail bonds adapted for use in connection therewith, which bonds shall be of greater conduc- 8 5 tivity than has been possible with bonds as heretofore constructed for use in connection with parts so arranged.

Briefly stated, my invention comprehends arail bond the mass of the body of which is, transversely considered, unequally divided, that is to say, composed of divisions of dissimilar diametric proportions.

Obviously, a rail bond embodying this general characteristic may be so constructed that its respective divisions approximately conform in vertical dimensions to the respective divisions of the bond space between the splice bar and rail ends, or otherwise, with the result that in lieu of a part of the larger of the divisional spaces being unoccupied, such part will beutilized for containing an additional mass of bond metal and the conductivity of the bond correspondingly increased.

It is to be understood that while I speak of the respective divisions of the bond as occupying the respective divisional spaces, I do not intend to convey that such divisional portions fill, in the strict sense of the word, said respective spaces.

In the best modern practice, a slight space should be left for moderate play of the strands of the bond within the divisional spaces. Hence,'in applying the bond, they should fall so far short of filling said spaces, as will allow of the required slight play.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the meeting end portions of two rails showing in connection therewith a splice bar and its bolts. In this view a form of bond embodying my invention and supposed in place between the splice bar and the rail ends, is indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the meeting end portions of two rails, the splice bar being supposed removed and the splice bar securing bolts being shown in section. A bond embodying myinvention is shown in the position it occupies with respect to the rail ends and the bolts. The corresponding rail bond assumed to exist on the far side of the rail ends is indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the splice bars and bonds,the rail being in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

the rail and the respective bars extend in tapering form above and below the bond receiving space proper, such spaces are, however, negligible elements so far as my present invention and arrangement are concerned.

It is to be understood that the bond space referred to may be any space existing between a rail end and an associated splice bar. Also that my improved bond may be employed, if

desired, in any desired location in connection with rail ends, in which its special form will be of advantage.

The bonds consist, in the form shown, each of a pair of heads, 6, connected by a body formed in two divisions, that division which is of the greater height, and situated, in the application of the bond, below the bolts, being designated'f, and the other, of lesser height, and in the application of the bond situated above the bolts, designated g.

Thebond shown happens to be of a type the heads of which in its application, are secured to the rail webs at points between the first and second of the bolts, counting from the meeting rail ends, and the two divisions of the body of which embrace between them or span, so to speak, the two first bolts.

My invention, of course, is not restricted to this'particular type of bond, but is of general application in connection with bonds regardless of whether the divisions of a given bond embrace, one, or-a plurality of bolts.

My invention may obviously be used in single bonding as well as in double bonding, that is to say, a bond embodying my invention may be placed at one side only of each pair of meeting rail ends, instead of the bonds being placed one at each side of each pair of meeting rail ends.

As will be seen, more particularly in Figure 3, the bolts pass through the splice bars and rail web in such position, vertically considered, that the bond space is unequally divided, that is to say, the space above said bolts is of less vertical dimensions than the space below said bolts, and the bond embodying my invention extends as to its upper division, in vertical dimensions, from the upper faces of the bolts to the top of the upper divisional bond space, while as to its lower division, it extends from the lower side faces of the bolts to the bottom of the bond space.

My invention provides, as will be obvious, a bond the respective divisions of the body of which are of dissimilar vertical dimensions in conformity with the unequal division of the available bond space made by the splice bar bolts. 1

As a result of this arrangement, the bond may, as a whole, be of greater mass, transversely considered, than bonds of the character heretofore employed in which the respective divisions have been of equal mass and consequently the conductivity of the connection efiiected by the bond will be correspondingly increased so far as the conductivity depends upon the transverse mass of the metal employed.

The type of bond illustrated happens to be that in which the body is made up of a series of fiat ribbon like strands arranged flatwise one upon another. My invention in its broader aspect is not, however, restricted to bonds of this type.

The respective divisions of the bond may, of course, embody, any suitable intermediate bends such as those designated 71., such bends being usually provided to allow for expansion and contraction under temperamental changes,as well as for vibration under the passage of vehicles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A rail bond consisting of two heads united by a body formed in two divisions of unequal transverse dimensions or mass.

2. A rail bond the body of which is formed in two divisions one of said divisions being of greater height than the other.

5. A rail bond having a body arranged in two divisions each consisting of a series of ribbon like strands arranged face to face, one of said divisions having a series of such strands in excess of the number present in the other division.

4. In combination, a pair of meeting rail ends, a pair of splice bars mounted on said rail ends in such manner that a bond space exists between a splice bar and the side faces of the rails, bolts extending through said bars and rails, and unequally dividing vertically, the bond space, and a rail bond mouhted in said space and making connection with the rail ends, the body of said bond being formed of strands, arranged in two divisions of unequal diametric mass, the smaller of said divisions being located in the smaller portion of the bond space and the larger of said divisions being located in the larger portion of the bond space, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 27th day of February, A. D. 1902.

AXEL H. ENGLUND. In presence of- THOS. K. LANCASTER, F. NORMAN DIXON. 

